Agents and Offers

Legally they can't tell you what the other person offered. At least this is what I have always been told. (maybe a DG realtor can confirm??)
And which agent do you mean? YOUR agent (buyers agent)? Or the listing agent?

Rina

This agent is one that I have been working with on a couple of deals but he also has this listing... It is a shortsale that he has...

I always thought that they legally couldn't tell you or show you... That just wouldn't be fair for the other person and there offer...

I do believe he can't legally tell you what the other offers are. But as far as you wondering what he's up to, I guess you won't know til you call his bluff. lol. Dealing with listing agents can get a little tricky sometimes. He might be looking for more commission, but in the long run, he definitely wants it SOLD.

If they're already calling for highest and best, just give him the offer you know running your numbers supports. If it turns out it's lower than the other offer and you don't get it, oh well. Just insist on seeing any counter-offer or rejection in writing.

Good luck!

Rina

Thanks Rina!!

Good luck on the offer.

A realtor can't legally show you someone else's offer.

I have never been told that it is illegal to tell another potential buyer what the current offer is. It is unethical to do so without first consulting the seller, and can get an Agent in trouble if their client disapproves of this action. It is the listing agent's first responsibility to do what best represents the seller. If the agent gives out the current offer price, the new buyer knows what it will take to better that offer, and only needs to beat it by a small amount. If the new buyer, does not know how much the current offer is for, they may offer considerably more.

Just make the offer sometimes the agent will tell you that when they think its too low...I had that happen but at the end i would still get the property

Yeah I say who cares he thinks, submitt your offer that you feel works for you and ask for any rejection or counter offer in writing as Rina said. If you r offer is way lower he may then open and say what the highest and best offer is. Still submit what works for you either way.

I put in allot of offers on Short sales and I run into this often. What I found out is that sometimes Agents will hold off offers from other agents, especially if it is an in house listing, so They will get paid from both buyer and seller. But I never heard of it happening with a buyer that is working with an agent that has the listing though.

What I do is contact their Broker to get the real story on the property. If the Realtor is playing games the Broker will set it straight. Call the Broker regarding your offer and ask them if there is another offer on the property.

99.999999999% of the time the counter-offers are not in writing; they are generally verbal because most agents don't have time to write up counter-offers and counters to counter-offers, etc.

If you feel your agent or the sellers agent hasn't presented the offer, have your agent call the broker directly; once that is done, friend or not, the broker will make sure it is done because the last they need is to get reported.

Hope it helps

If I am going through an agent, 100% of the offers/counters/rejections are written and signed. We insist on it. Some of the bank-owned properties are official email documents, but always officially written up and signed. But if you can't get that for some reason, yes like Elix and Carol said, go to the broker (and hopefully they will be more scrupulous than the agent who works for them).

Rina,

I'm not saying it can't be done, but I generally try and come to a accepted deal with my clients offers by no more than the 2nd counter-offer over the phone

Normally what I do after I present my clients offer is ask my client if it gets rejected or counters what range are they flexible with so that if the sellers agent calls back, I already have a range with work with to seal the deal

Yeah like Rina said here in Ohio where I am at every offer and counter offer I have seen or done HAS to be written and signed... My agent will not submit an offer unless it is signed.... Well this is at least short sales and REO's... He might make a verbal offer to an actual owner...